NICOSIA’S Prodromou Street post office could be knocked down within the next six months if plans to erect a new building in its place go according to schedule.
Postal service employees said yesterday the Strovolos district building has been on the verge of collapse for years, but the Communication and Works Ministry has done nothing to protect its workers or the consumers who use its services.
“Ever since the Municipal Theatre roof caved in, people at the post office have been much more edgy about working there. It’s an accident waiting to happen and God forbid that it collapses on top of people before they do something about it,” said a postal worker, who wished to remain unnamed.
The employee said the ministry has known about the problems for over a decade.
“For 12 years now, reports and studies into the building’s seismic worthiness have been coming and going. It was built in 1960 and is listed as a dangerous building, as it doesn’t have anti-seismic provisions. After the theatre collapsed, employees quite rightly became increasingly unhappy and anxious with the current situation. If something is not done soon there will be a reaction.”
Despite reports that the Ministry’s Directorate of Control plans to go ahead with construction plans before June next year, the postal service has not received any such official confirmation.
“We haven’t been told to start looking for new temporary premises or anything. There are certain procedures that are followed in the civil service and in due course we will likely be informed about what is going on and when to start looking for a new building,” he said.
If all goes according to plan, construction is due to begin in six months’ time, with a two and a half year completion date. As well as building a new post office, collection and sorting office and post boxes, the new premises will also house the Communication and Works Ministry following a Cabinet decision in May.
But rumour has it the postal service is unhappy with the decision to build the main post office alongside the ministry. In fact, sources suggest the postal service has plans to contest the decision before construction goes ahead. What exactly the problem is and how the postal service believes it can get the Cabinet to revoke its decision was yesterday unclear.
Nevertheless, if building goes according to schedule, the new ministry premises will cost an estimated €12 million. This will still work out cheaper in the long run than continuing to rent the current premises in Ayios Dhometios, which amounts to €200,000 per year.
The estimated cost of the post office is still under evaluation, reports said.
